The board of the Swiss drug maker selected Christoph Franz, 53, the CEO of German airline Lufthansa Group, to stand for election as chairman next year after current chairman Franz Humer steps down.

Franz has been on Roche's board since 2011.

After Humer said in March that he would not stand for re-election, some analysts and other drug industry watchers speculated that former Genentech CEO Art Levinson would be in the running for the chairman job. Levinson led South San Francisco-based Genentech from 1995 until Roche's $47 billion buyout of Genentech in 2009 and is on Roche's board.

The Swiss newspaper Neue Zürcher Zeitung reported that Levinson "had the tools" as the former head of Genentech, which developed many of Roche's best-selling cancer-fighting drugs. But, without citing sources or saying if Levinson was approached about the job, the paper said Levinson has "become rich, has no relation to Switzerland and travels apparently most (reluctantly). But intense shuttle diplomacy is one of the core tasks of the job."

Franz had been CEO of Swiss International Air after Lufthansa bought the airline, Reuters reported. Since becoming head of Lufthansa, Reuters added, he has remained based in Zurich.

"With Christoph Franz, Roche is getting a chairman with outstanding personal qualities and an impressive record as head of a major global company," Humer said in a press release. "I am sure that his extensive experience, exceptional global network and strong links to Switzerland will be great assets."

Roche has more than 82,000 employees and has sales of 45.5 billion Swiss francs, or US$49.1 billion.

Ron covers biotech, higher education & sports business.

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